We Don't Live In Fairytales
by XxZuiliu
Summary: Your life would be so much easier if your little sister wasn't such a trouble magnet, and if she wasn't constantly afflicted by weird chuunibyou delusions of being a "main character," damn it. (AKA: Yuuko is the long-suffering sister of a little girl who makes friends with a Quirkless boy, and everything changes from there.) [OC, AU, NaNo '17]
1. crawl out into summer rain

.

Title: We Don't Live In Fairytales

Summary: Your life would be so much easier if your little sister wasn't such a trouble magnet, and if she wasn't constantly afflicted by weird chuunibyou delusions of being a "main character," damn it. [2nd POV, OC, AU, NaNo '17]

Rating: T

Warnings: Violence, gore, language, etc. in future chapters. More to be added, maybe?

Disclaimer: I do not own BNHA

(AN at bottom.)

.

* * *

 **We Don't Live In Fairytales**

" _01\. crawl out into summer rain"_

* * *

.

" _You'll take care of her, won't you?"_

.

* * *

.

On a warm, sunny afternoon, you find yourself staring down your little kid sister in a secluded corner of the children's park. The little girl's lip wobbles ever so slightly, but to her credit, she refuses to fidget underneath the weight of your steady gaze, even as the silent seconds slowly trickle by.

… Fair enough. You'll probably never admit this to anyone, but in this moment you find yourself mildly surprised and even impressed by her mental fortitude. Although the unassuming form of a young sixteen year old doesn't exactly strike the most imposing of figures, you are well aware that you are fully capable of making (and have made, on multiple occasions) grown men tremble in their shoes when you put your mind to it… much less a little five year old child, whom you currently tower over in terms of height by sheer virtue of age alone. And yet, your little baby sister still refuses to back down.

 _Good._

You resist a humorless smile.

In this world, there are many things that go bump in the night, and while you might be loosely considered one of those things, you are also well aware that you are far from the worst they have to offer. Even though little Mika is only just another five year old girl at the moment, seeing this show of mental strength coming from her, this unyielding strength, is… reassuring.

You had been worried, for quite some time now, about your little sister's shy words and shyer demeanor, but it seems like you've been needlessly worrying over nothing. Living with Haru-baa-san for the past year seems to have been good for her, given that your little sister has grown from a timid little scrap into the defiant little lady you see before you now.

Still, it's one thing to be a little spitfire, and another thing entirely when being a little spitfire also means being a little _brat,_ and dragging away your older sister from the middle of work certainly qualifies as the latter. It's a good thing that it had been good-natured Misaki-san working on the hospital's front desk shift with you and not someone like, say, ill-tempered Nanase-san, who definitely would've raised a hell of a ruckus if she caught you ditching work for something like catering to the whims of a five year old younger sibling.

When Haru-baa-san had called you earlier and mentioned something about blood and little Mika asking after you, it hadn't even occurred to you for a single moment to stay put at your desk shift for the remainder of the hour. Because this is _Mika,_ your dear little sister calling out to you in a cry for help, and if there's _blood–_

But no. Evidently not.

You take one last baleful look at your stubborn, tricky little sister, then glance towards the sniffling ball of green fluff beside her. It takes a truly herculean effort on your part to resist the urge to strangle Haru-baa-san at this point, the old woman rambling away beside your ear with something about roughhousing children and clumsy feet… not that you really care about any of it anymore. Mika is fine. There's nothing wrong with your sister. It's only the green-haired boy beside her who's skinned his knees and palms, but what does that have to do with you?

"Please, nee-chan?" the little girl clasps her hands together in front of herself, wide doe-eyes blinking imploringly up at you. "Izu-kun got hurt chasing away the bullies for me! Baa-chan didn't bring band-aids or anything for the boo-boos, so…"

You pin your Mika with a deadpan expression. Really? Your little sister's Quirk is by no means invincible, but it does make her a hell of a lot sturdier than most children her age. And considering her temperament, you certainly can't imagine your little spitfire sitting around on her hands if any of the children decided to play rough with her. She's not some damsel in distress who needs another person to rush in and _save her_ like a knight in shining armor; Mika is more like the damsel who would bludgeon the dragon to death before sticking her nose up at the knight afterwards. God knows why 'Izu-kun got hurt chasing away the bullies' for Mika.

Skepticism aside, though, you don't poke any holes in your little sister's words and instead just let out a heavy sigh, setting down the first aid kit you brought with you from your workplace and beckoning the sniffling little boy over to your side. It's easy enough to clean the cuts and wrap them up –this is something you can do in your _sleep,_ honestly– and the kid is quiet about it, for the most part, which helps with your budding headache. He even ducks his head and mumbles _Thank you_ when you are done, which puts him one level above Mika when it comes to manners and respect, at least.

"Thanks, nee-chan!" your little sister chimes in, smiling brightly. "I knew you'd be able to help!"

"Don't push it, brat," is what you mutter in response. But instead of coming out as something warning the words are almost _fond_ instead, much to your chagrin and resignation. "… Don't call me while I'm at work again unless it's an emergency, y'hear?"

"S-S-Sorry!" At least the boy is sharp enough to sense your irritation. Your oblivious sister, on the other hand, is another matter entirely.

"It's alright! No need to be a stranger, Izu-kun. Nee-chan just tends to get grumpy a lot." Mika makes the victory sign in his direction with a wink. "Didn't I tell you already? We're going to be best friends, Izu-kun!"

… Wait, what?

You stare at your little sister, sparkling and shining with rainbows and glitter in the background as she grins stupidly and makes her heartfelt declaration, and wonder when the little girl who never seemed to be interested in socializing with others her age decided to make a random boy off the playground her _best friend._ Was there something you missed out on about your little sister? Since when did a switch suddenly flip in her brain, and since when did your life turn into something straight out of the pages of a shoujo manga?

.

* * *

.

 _"Stop laughing at me, Misaki-san."_

"S-Sorry, give me another second, just let me – _ha!"_ the older nurse all but falls over the edge of the receptionist desk in another wave of fresh giggles. So much for composure.

You roll your eyes. "You're free to stop any day now, Misaki-san."

"Right, right… whew, haven't laughed like that in awhile." Despite those words, it takes a solid several more moments before violet-haired Misaki can sit upright again, but her eyes are still shining with thinly-veiled laughter. "Oh, Yuuko-chan. You should really listen to yourself… Although, don't you think you're a little too sensitive when it comes to Mika-chan?"

"… She's my sister," you shrug, before letting your head drop down into your hands with a long-suffering groan. "Misaki-san, my little baby sister just went and claimed a random boy she met in the park as her _best friend._ I'm allowed to be concerned about this, right? I mean, _who does that?"_

"Your little sister, apparently," is the nurse's witty response. Before you can do more than shoot another poisonous glare over your arms at her, though, Misaki smiles and raises her hands placatingly. "Now, now, I have children of my own, Yuuko-chan. Give me a little more credit here, won't you?"

You slowly raise your head just enough to give your co-worker a dubious once-over in response, which says just about everything encompassing your feelings on _that_ particular matter. Misaki shakes her head.

"Children don't think the way we do, Yuuko-chan," the woman says. "Sometimes they'll act just based on a feeling, or on their gut instincts. If they see someone and go, 'Ooh, he feels nice!' then it's only natural that they try to become friends with them, right? … Come on, let's be honest now, Yuuko-chan. Is it bothering you that your little sister suddenly has a best friend now, or is it bothering you that her best friend is a _boy?"_

" _Misaki-san!"_

The woman starts laughing again. You decide to retract everything nice you've ever thought about the woman before. She's _terrible._ Then again, it's probably your own fault in the first place, for thinking she could offer something helpful about understanding your little sister's convoluted thought process.

… Honestly, what even goes on in the mind of that girl?

You know that children are prone to change, of course. Young children are prone to change, and _boy_ do they change. Mika is the perfect example of that. She's come a long way from the shy little thing constantly tugging at your coattails as she trails along behind you, and it's clear that living with Haru-baa-san here in Musutafu has been good for her. It's just that now she's also sometimes prone to spontaneous bouts of _randomness_ and you're not really quite sure what to do with her anymore.

Or… is Misaki actually right, and you should really just keep your nose out of your little sister's private matters? In the end it's not really that big of a deal; your little sister just made a friend out in the park, after all. Just a friend. It's normal for children to have friends, isn't it? Midoriya Izuku just happens to be Mika's first friend. There's nothing too special about that.

… It's only three o'clock in the afternoon and you're already starting to feel like you need a drink after this. You really love your little sister, eccentricities and all, but you also know with a growing, budding certainty increasing with each passing day that Mika will be the reason why the rest of your prematurely graying hair will turn white, damn it. Stupid genetics. Stupid little sisters.

In truth, you'll always regret sending your little sister off to live with Haru-baa-san while you spent your last two years alone in Tokyo. But you know perfectly well that there's no way you could've managed taking care of a three year old kid on top of getting everything else done, and you'd _promised._ It had been your last promise to your parents in their final moments that you would take care of your little sister no matter what, and it's a promise that you have no intention of breaking, _ever._ Even if it had meant sending your sister off to live with someone else at the time–

Not that it matters anymore; it's all over now. Coming to Musutafu again had been a little awkward in the beginning, but Mika had warmed up to you again quickly enough, and dealing with Haru-baa-san is no problem. Right now you're just a newcomer interning at the local Numata Hospital, and if everything goes as expected, you'll have a permanent job here after your trial period is up.

So, life is good.

… Life would be so much better if you could figure out how to deal with your little sister again, though.

.

* * *

.

In terms of appearances, Mika looks a lot like your late mother. Dark hair, brown-gold eyes, delicate chin and high cheekbones to match. It's the sort of refined, elegant look that stands completely at odds with her devil-may-care, bubbly personality, which makes it a lot easier to interact with her than you remember it once being. After all, your mother would _never_ be caught dead making a fool out of herself the way your little sister seems to do on a regular basis.

You're not quite sure what it says about you, though, that you're becoming steadily accustomed to your little sister's… eccentricities.

"Mika-chan." You pause in the half-open doorway to your little sister's room, mentally floundering. You're not really quite sure where to continue from here, because _What the fuck?_ "What the… May I ask what you're doing?"

Your dear little sister turns around to look at you from where she's half-perched on the windowsill with one end of her bed sheet upended and tied to the bed post, while the other end is tied around her waist. And the little girl has the gall to _smile._

"Hi, nee-chan!" she chirps. "Guess what? I'm testing out the effects of anime physics today! This is gonna be great!"

Then she turns and jumps out the window.

You _lunge._

In all your sixteen years, you have never moved so fast in your life as you did in that moment, when your little sister's life flashes before your eyes. By the time you finally haul your stupid, _stupid_ little sister back up again by the bed sheets she'd _somehow_ had the foresight to tie around herself earlier, when she looks up at you with those stupid doe-eyes and tilts her head quizzically, as if to ask _What's wrong–_

It's almost a physical _pain_ to restrain yourself from violently shaking the little girl by her shoulders, because _what the hell._ Who on earth in their right mind jumps out from the window on the seventh floor of the building?! Mika's enhancement-type Quirk makes her sturdy, yes, but _not that sturdy goddamnit._

"Imouto," you whisper softly, cupping your little sister's face in your hands. You lean in, gently touching your forehead to your little sister's own.

And.

 _Smile._

" _Don't ever do that again."_

Your little sister makes an 'eep'-ing sound at your hissed words, much to your satisfaction. "R-Right. Okay. G-Got it, nee-chan!"

You let out another sigh, leaning backwards, because that is all the response you can hope for, coming from Mika. "… Dare I ask what it was this time, Mika-chan? You don't have a flying Quirk; you're lucky I came here on time."

The girl lets out a bit of sheepish, nervous laughter. "Um, yeah. Uh… I was just… that's what heroes do all the time, right? Like 'boom, swoosh!' Out the window and away!"

…

Carefully, and with infinite, agonizing slowness, you reach up with a single hand and pinch the bridge of your nose, trying in vain to stave off the oncoming headache accompanying your little sister's brainless words. Is she even aware of what's coming out of her mouth?

In hindsight, maybe it wasn't such a good idea to let your little sister's relationship with Midoriya be. You're aware that the Quirkless kid has an unhealthy obsession with heroes and a destructive (or masochistic; whichever or) streak a mile wide, but you hadn't been aware that his starry-eyed attitude regarding heroes was starting to extend to your little sister, too.

"Mika-chan–"

"Hey, can you help me with my Quirk, nee-chan?" your little sister suddenly asks, cutting you off in the middle of your words, and you pause, because this is… new. "I'm going to be a hero with Izu-kun when I grow up!"

… Or maybe not.

"Why?"

It's a simple enough question, all things considered.

"Because!"

You should've expected it. Her answer is equally simple, and explains _nothing,_ the infuriating little girl.

You do not approve of heroics, in general. The risks inherent, the danger to it, the aspect of entertainment. But… your little sister _does_ need to learn how to control her Quirk sooner or later, if only to keep from accidentally harming herself and others around her with it, and you can't protect her forever. This might as well be a good segue into that, and give her some motivation into working hard.

Alright, then.

"You have our mother's Quirk. I inherited mine from dad's side of the family, but I'll guide you through what I remember of hers," you finally decide to tell your little sister, whose eyes shine as bright as stars, vibrating with excitement.

(You did not get the luxury to figure out the mechanics of your own abilities in a safe learning environment, but you will make sure that your sister will not have to suffer as you once did.)

" _Yatta!_ Thanks, nee-chan!"

Your lips curve into a fond smile upon hearing her laughter. "Don't thank me just yet, brat. I won't go easy on you."

"Yeah? Bring it on!" It's good, this fire in your little sister's eyes. You fervently hope it's a fire that will never go out. "I've gotta get as strong as I can so I can help Izu-kun!"

You raise an eyebrow at that errant comment. "… Your friend is _Quirkless."_

It's strange. For a moment, Mika's eyes are so _knowing,_ as she looks up at you and smiles a small, secret smile, as if there's a joke the whole world is playing and she is the only one who knows the answer. It only lasts a moment before she is bouncing down the floorboards of the hallway again, but it's enough to give you pause, however briefly.

You stop in your tracks and look after your little sister thoughtfully, wondering if there's something you've overlooked… again. For someone whose Quirk means being used to catching all the details, it's quite unsettling to be struck with the feeling of missing something right underneath your nose.

" _Hurry up, nee-chan!"_

"… Coming, Mika-chan."

.

* * *

.

…

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Author's Notes:

Hello! Welcome to _We Don't Live In Fairytales._ Guess who's finally bit the bullet and jumped on the NaNo bandwagon this year? ;3 … I probably won't finish this fic in a month, considering my track record with writing, but I'll give it a try.

Also: This is such a bad decision. I need to be doing like 10 different things related to schoolwork right now, but instead I'm sitting here typing this up. _I'm going to regret this so much tomorrow._

The unconventional 2nd POV narrative style used here is inspired by **Vroomian's** _Horseshoes and Hand Grenades,_ which I highly recommend to everyone who might be reading this. KnB fanfic, but you don't have to be familiar with the manga/anime to enjoy the story! It's very well-written and I've been wanting to give a shot at writing in 2nd perspective for awhile now ever since reading that fic. I definitely would encourage you to try it out if you like what you see in the narrative style here. :D Another 2nd POV fic I would recommend checking out is **Sythe's** _A Mass Effect Infiltrator in the World of One Piece,_ though that one is more of one shot and hasn't been updated recently.

(Feel free to rec me any well-written 2nd POV OC fics if you're aware of any, too. :3)

Getting into the BNHA fandom again these days, and noticed that a lot of OC fics seem to feature the OC reborn as Izuku's childhood friend. So here's my take on it, somewhat? Our MC is older than the main cast's generation by a good decade, but MC's sister falls into the same age group, so there will be some wiggle room for interactions there despite the age gap. I have a few vague PLANS in mind for this fic, which might be interesting ohoho. We'll see. ;3

Not too much to take note of here just yet, I guess. If you have any questions or would like to discuss things you see in this fic, feel free to review/PM me.

Also feel free to point out grammar mistakes/other errors in the text, please.

* * *

 **QUESTION:** What do you think about the 2nd POV style that's used, and what would you like to see in this story?

* * *

That's it for now. Till next time, folks!

XxZuiliu


	2. listen to the rumble of the earth

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Title: We Don't Live In Fairytales

Summary: Your life would be so much easier if your little sister wasn't such a trouble magnet, and if she wasn't constantly afflicted by weird chuunibyou delusions of being a "main character," damn it. [2nd POV, OC, AU, NaNo '17]

Rating: T

Warnings: Violence, gore.

Disclaimer: I do not own BNHA

(AN at bottom.)

.

* * *

 **We Don't Live In Fairytales**

" _02\. listen to the rumble of the earth"_

* * *

.

Truthfully speaking, you have no idea of how to go about the process of training someone to use their Quirk.

… Actually, that's a bit of a lie. There _is_ a vague plan of sorts formulating itself in your mind even at this very moment as you're following your sister down the hallway; you're just not quite sure how effective it will be.

You yourself had once been shown a simple few tricks by your father a long, long time ago. Which was only natural, given the similarities in the natures of your Quirks, but you would only use the term 'teach' very loosely. After all, your father had been a very busy man back in those days, which meant most of your proficiency in using your Quirk came from your own experimentation, born through a mix of mischief and curiosity, fear and desperation.

… The same method obviously won't work with Mika. You wouldn't be surprised if your little sister ended up destroying the entire apartment, if she was left to her own devices without any supervision like you had been.

Very high-maintenance, that girl.

A small smile flits over your lips as you watch your little sister dart into the sitting room ahead of you, hastily pushing chairs to the side and hurriedly clearing out a space in the middle with as much enthusiasm as any five year old child might have, given the opportunity show off their Quirk.

It's… sad, almost.

Unlike you, who came as an unplanned surprise to your parents, your parents had been actively looking forward to the birth of your little sister. They did not love you any less for it, and you will forever love them for that, but oftentimes it still pains you in small moments like these to look at your smiling, laughing little sister and know that this is a sight your late parents will never see.

"Nee-chan!" You blink. Bright-eyed Mika is scuttling back towards you, a sizable chunk of empty space in the living room cleared out behind her. "Nee-chan, this is enough, right?"

… Not really, if the tricks your mother could pull off was any indicator of things. But for a little five year old girl? It was probably more than enough space for her to sit down and play around with her abilities, all things considered.

You give your sister a small nod. "Ah. Good enough. Now show me what you can do."

"You got it, nee-chan!" A look of furrowed concentration crosses over her eyes, and it takes several long seconds before something white starts jutting out from her wrist.

(Slow. _Far too slow._ You remember seeing your mother's speed in drawing bones from her own body, and what Mika can do is nothing in light of that. But you're well aware it's rather unfair to compare your little sister to your mother. Part of you also wishes at the same time that the girl will never have to become as well-versed with her Quirk as your mother had been.)

Mika makes a satisfied, triumphant sound as she finishes pulling out a small, kitchen-knife length of sharpened bone. You'd half-expected your sister to just pull it out without any particular image in mind at all, so this comes as a pleasant little surprise.

"Ta-da!" Mika brandishes the small length of bone in her hand with excitement. "How's this? Isn't it _so cool?_ I still can't believe that my special bloodline limit is the _shikotsumyaku!_ Man, I thought this would be something only the ninja SI's would have! Kishimoto has nothing on this!"

… You ignore your little sister's overflowing exuberance and odd wording with an ease born of long practice. It does not come as unexpected to you, that she came up with her own name for the Quirk that she inherited from your mother in your absence, but you didn't think it would be so… flamboyant. 'Dead Bone Pulse' certainly has more of a dramatic flair to it than something as simple and to-the-point as 'Bone Manipulation.' But really, what had you been expecting from little Mika in the first place?

There's a bit of a nervous flutter in your chest as you sit down cross-legged in front of the girl and gesture for her to follow your movements. Aside from the fact that you haven't taught anyone like this before, there's also the small fact that this is your _sister_ looking to you for guidance, despite your absence in the last two years of her life. Truth be told, you wouldn't have been surprised if she had forgotten you entirely… but now that you're back, now that you're _here_ with her, you are going to be the best goddamned older sister a girl could ever have.

(It's the least you can do, when it comes to the guilt gnawing a gaping hole in your chest at the very thought of your little sister.)

"Well… I see that you're rather excited about your Quirk."

… Understatement of the century, that. Especially since you _remember_ Mika activating her Quirk for the first time; you had been standing right next to the girl, after all, and _enthusiastic_ is just about the last word you would've used to describe your sister's initial reaction to her Quirk. It's good to see that she's gotten past that now. You had suspected it in the first place, given that _she_ took initiative in asking you for help, but it's still nice to confirm things with your own two eyes.

Mika's head bobs up and down rapidly, the little girl all but vibrating with energy, and your lips twitch into a fond little smile.

"Your… _Dead Bone Pulse,_ is the same Quirk that our mother had," you start off with a simple explanation. "It's the manipulation of your own skeletal structure, basically. Mother never told me the specifics, but I know the general gist of it. You can use your own bones as tools however you wish, and they are generally stronger and more durable than your average steel. But if you do not return them to your body after a certain period of time, then it takes a toll on you."

"Yeah, that's right!" Mika blinks bright, wide eyes at you. "Sometimes I get really tired and start feeling sick if I keep my bones out too long. Is there a way to fix it?"

You shrug. "Part of it's just because you're too young, Mika-chan. Aside from starting to train your body and paying more attention to your calcium intake, there isn't much else you can do at the moment. Ah, but keeping your bones out for as long as possible will also help increase your time limit and let you become more familiar with your Quirk. I would suggest that as an exercise, if you're insistent on learning how to use your Quirk. Mother used to make hairpins from her bones to wear all the time, so you could always start there."

A thoughtful look crosses your little sister's face upon hearing your words. It's almost disconcerting, given the general silliness that seems to be perpetually woven about her. Mika gives a short, decisive nod. "Okay, I'll do that. I'll make a hairclip right now and – _ack!"_

You give a little lopsided smile. "… I thought that might be the case. It's harder than it looks, isn't it?"

Your sister looks up from the large, unidentifiable lump of misshapen white bone sitting on her hand, and scowls at you. Or at least she tries to; on the chubby baby-fat cheeks of a kid, it comes out as something more of a mild pout.

It looks unreasonably cute on her.

"You've practiced taking out part of your radial bone as a small sharpened stick already. This should be the same concept, just… a little more finesse and control involved." You hastily unfold your legs and get up from where you are sitting on the ground. "Any other questions?"

"Just one," your little sister grins cheekily, following your motions. "Are you gonna teach me how to fight now, nee-chan?"

"No."

It's almost comical, the way her expression falls. This is not a matter that you'll be budging on anytime soon, though.

"But nee-chan, you _said–"_

"I'll help you through learning to use your Quirk. I won't go easy on you." You remember what you said. You did not say you would fight a mock battle with your little sister. Why in the world would she even think that? Although, you suppose that it _is_ true that her Quirk is very much well suited for combat… but that's a thought better left for another day.

"Go on, you have some control exercises to be working on now, don't you? As for fighting…" A small pause. You eye the determined light burning in your little sister's eyes. "I can sign you up for self-defense lessons at a local dojo or something, if you're truly insistent on learning how to fight. I'm… really not the best person to learn from, when it comes to that."

Mika makes a small 'hmph,' cheeks puffed out indignantly like an offended chipmunk. "… Alright, nee-chan. Whatever you say."

You're not quite sure why you do it. On a rare burst of impulse that is all affection and nothing else, you reach over and ruffle your little sister's hair, ignoring the loud squawk of protest that she makes. Your fingers all but slide through her hair; black as ink, silk as water.

"How does kendo sound, Mika-chan? I think kendo might be good for you. Ah, but we might be getting a little ahead of ourselves here. Do they even allow little midgets like you to sign up for kendo?"

" _Nee-chan!"_

You laugh.

.

* * *

.

It strikes you as a little strange, sometimes, the friendship that your Mika has with one Midoriya Izuku. You can certainly see why they get along well –Izuku is a cheerful boy, and Mika is just as bubbly and excitable, if not even more so. It just… seems so _strange,_ sometimes, because it's almost as if your little sister almost deliberately goes out of her way to spend as much of her time with the boy as possible, following him around the neighborhood as he in turn follows the group of 'cool kids' from his class on their misadventures.

There's even a pattern to it all that you can count, almost like clockwork. Izuku gets picked on by the kids he follows around for not having a Quirk. Mika is quick to leap to her best friend's defense, the little spitfire that she is. A scuffle ensues, and everyone comes out with a few scrapes and bruises.

… See? It's just like you said. The green fluff ball might look sweet and harmless, but he actually has a masochistic streak a mile wide. Where in the world is his _common sense?_

You do not… Mika's relationship with her classmates is none of your business, not really. And so, you will not pry so far into her business, and you will not try to control every little aspect of your little sister's life. As things currently stand, you don't quite approve of her friendship with Izuku, given all the boys' brawls that he has ended up dragging her into by association, but… you don't exactly _disapprove,_ either.

The kid might be overly naïve in addition to lacking a healthy dose of common sense and self-preservation, but there are worse people out there in the world to call friends. Your sister could do much worse than someone like Midoriya Izuku.

"… Tadaima." You immediately spot the green fluff ball sitting at the kitchen table from the doorway of the apartment, on a day when your shift at the hospital ends early since you're on call for some overnight hours instead. It's not an unfamiliar sight to see the two children sitting together with Haru-baa-san puttering around in the backdrop with tea and snacks behind them.

Sometimes, you think Izuku might as well be a permanent fixture in this home, with the insistent way your sister keeps inviting him over. With your irregular work hours, it almost feels like he is at home more often than you are… which might not be entirely inaccurate, at the rate things are going.

"Welcome back, nee-chan!"

Haru-baa-san smiles at you, too, crow's-feet wrinkles curling at the corners of her eyes. "Welcome back, Yuuko. Would you like some crackers? There's plenty to go around."

"… Thanks." You don't really have much of an appetite, most days, but you take one of Haru-baa-san's freshly-baked crackers anyways. The old woman's face lights up in delight, and you muster up a small smile for her in response, before turning to the kids. "Mika, Izuku. Doing your homework together again?"

"Nah, we already finished that an hour ago!" Mika laughs, before snatching up the notebook sitting between them and offering it to you. "Izu-kun and I were just working on our hero costume designs. What do you think, nee-chan?"

What do you think? You regret ever even asking in the first place. The topic of Izuku being Quirkless is a rather delicate subject in this household, as you've quickly come to discover. It's almost like tiptoeing on landmines. For some reason, your sister is very, _very_ defensive whenever anyone says or implies anything about it, which is actually the source of most of her scuffles with that blond neighborhood kid with an explosive Quirk. Personally, you think it would be kinder to stop letting Izuku live in his hero dreams, but you would also prefer to keep your sister happy. And if keeping your sister happy means allowing Izuku to continue to indulge in his fantasies… well.

He might be a good kid, but in the end, Mika is much more important to you, anyways.

"It looks nice." You keep your words short and succinct. Both children straighten in their seats, expressions brightening as they wait for your final verdict on their 'hero costumes,' and you quickly scramble for more words to say. "It's… nice."

Mika promptly deflates and gives you the stink eye in response, but that's probably only because she's been around you long enough to get a solid grip on your personality by this point. Izuku, on the other hand, seems happy enough with your compliments, which is just as well. Compliments are not your strong suit. At least one of the little terrors is satisfied.

"Thanks, Yuuko-san! Mika-chan and I spent a long time on these! See, we were thinking that because of her Quirk, we should probably…"

Izuku is a nice kid, he really is. A nice kid, but one who has a tendency to _ramble._

"That's very thoughtful of you, Izuku-kun." You end up interrupting the babbling kid, as you usually do when he starts getting like this. Mika might be content to listen to him all day, starry-eyed and adoring, but you are not your baby sister, and you have no patience for the long-winded rambles of the runaway thoughts of a little kid. If your little sister's friendship with him continues, which it likely will… you already foresee many more headaches in your imminent future. It kind of makes you want to cry.

"You could… try writing your ideas down, maybe?" You cast around wildly for ideas, when it seems like the green fluff ball gets a little too embarrassed and your sister starts giving you a death glare. (Did you do something to offend Mika lately? Is that why she is siding with her friend, and not you?) "I. Um. You… have a lot of ideas when it comes to… _heroics,_ so you could make notes and. Organize them, maybe, instead of talking aloud all the time? It's, uh. Good practice. Probably."

… Fuck it, you're just making up random bullshit on the spot to appease the little terrors. To your eternal relief, it seems to strike a chord with the green fluff ball, miraculously, and even your little sister seems to lose the edge to her anger. Instead, she eyes you with a strange expression that you can't quite name, which is downright _confusing._

…

You give up. At this point, it's probably time to admit defeat: You have no idea how to deal with children.

Thankfully, someone else does.

"TV time! Seems like one of the featured heroes today has a water manipulation Quirk!"

(Thank you, Haru-baa-san.)

You stare at the empty kitchen stools, still spinning from the force of two overly excitable kids taking off for the television in the living room. If you hadn't heard from the kid's mother herself that he was missing the toe joint that signified the presence of a Quirk, you wouldn't be surprised if he developed some sort of speed-based teleportation Quirk in the next few weeks.

… Maybe you should head back out and just clock in to work early tonight. It certainly doesn't seem like your little sister will be coming to you again to ask for help with her Quirk anytime soon.

.

* * *

.

…

.

* * *

Author's Notes:

Second chapter completed, NaNo '17 challenge. I have no idea how many more chapters this fic is going to take at this rate. This is probably not a good sign. Too late now, I suppose.

Note: This fic is also cross-posted on AO3, for those who might be interested (links are on my Tumblr page). Some people prefer AO3 formatting over FFN? Quick reminder here that my AO3 updates will generally always come later than FFN ones, though. It takes longer for me to format the doc on AO3.

On the topic of this update: Mika's Quirk is revealed! Kudos to anyone who might understand why Mika is rather excited about her Quirk. xD We also get a little bit of Izuku in this chapter; might get to Katsuki in the next chapter? … We'll see. MC currently does not have a very high opinion of them, but that might be subject to change in the future. ;3

Misc.: For anyone who might be interested, I just found a half-finished doc I have for the next chapter of _wild current_ (SI/OC, Naruto, spirit!AU). I MIGHT get something out for that this month, if I want to take a break from NaNo writing. If not, well… at least rest assured that I haven't abandoned it, I guess? Sorry. Let's see how long I can stay focused on WDLIF here.

* * *

 **QUESTION:** List 3 canon character POVs you'd like to read in future chapters! (… I know we're not very far along in the story yet, so this is more just to gauge interest on my part at the moment.) Feel free to add reasons for why if you'd like.

 _Alternatively:_ List 3 characters you'd like to see appear in this story, and reasons why.

* * *

2nd POV narrative is pretty experimental, so feel free to tell me what you think works/doesn't work and I'll see what I can do about it.

Till next time,

XxZuiliu


	3. and through those distant eyes

.

Title: We Don't Live In Fairytales

Summary: Your life would be so much easier if your little sister wasn't such a trouble magnet, and if she wasn't constantly afflicted by weird chuunibyou delusions of being a "main character," damn it. [2nd POV, OC, AU, NaNo '17]

Rating: T

Warnings: Violence, gore.

Disclaimer: I do not own BNHA

(AN at bottom.)

.

* * *

 **We Don't Live In Fairytales**

" _03\. and through those distant eyes"_

* * *

.

"I see that we're looking a little tired today, hm?"

… You're really, really not in the mood for any of this right now. Or ever, honestly.

"Very astute, Misaki-san," you mumble from where you sit half-sprawled over the desk, face pressed against the side of the cold table. Your amused coworker responds to this by dropping a sympathetic cup of steaming coffee on the table in front of you, and you promptly decide to forgive her, reflexively reaching out to clutch the cup like a godsend.

So maybe it wasn't the best idea to head into work early while you were already scheduled for the overnight shift; not that it changes anything, now. You still have another solid two hours to go before daybreak.

"Your rounds are in the B-5 rooms tonight," she tells you, and oh. Oh, so this is how it is. So that's why she brought you some coffee some sort of a consolation prize first.

You easily catch the stack of files that Misaki drops down in front of you without even bothering to flick your gaze upwards, and regretfully down the last dregs of your consolation coffee in the same motion. "… Most of the patients are all asleep by now, so it's just checking the monitors again and make sure everything is in order, right?"

"Yes. You know the drill, Yuuko-chan!"

You give a noncommittal hum as you stand up from your chair, stretching as you do so. Honestly, from your perspective… it's not the most comfortable of jobs, working in a hospital. But you've made your grave already when you came here to Musutafu; might as well lie down in it, with as little fuss made as possible. Unlike your sister who acts according to her flighty whims, you doggedly follow practicality above all else.

… And besides, it's not like there's no upside to working at a hospital. It helps that the pay here is good.

"Shizuka-san already took care of the medications earlier?"

"Yes, she did," Misaki nods. "Shizu-san already had her rounds earlier today, if I'm not mistaken. Thanks for double-checking!"

You shrug, and turn to leave. "Ah. It's no problem."

…

… Or rather, as it turns out, there _is_ a problem. Unfortunately.

You spare an idle second to look up despairingly at the too-white ceiling in exasperation and wonder if it's the universe at large that hates you, or if there's some cosmic deity of fate out there who just enjoys watching you suffer, because. _Why._ Why, why is it always you? Peace and quiet. Is that really too much to ask for? Really? _Really?_

As if on cue to your thoughts, the corridor shakes, reverberations trembling throughout the structure of the building, and you…

You abruptly turn on your heel and leave, no hesitation whatsoever.

Perhaps, if you were more like kindhearted Misaki-san in terms of your nature, you might've headed in to investigate before turning to alert others for help. Unlike you, Misaki-san works as a nurse because she truly takes pride in her work and enjoys taking care of others. Or perhaps, if it was your dear little Mika standing here instead of you, she would've charged right in without a second thought, brash and headstrong and full of fanciful little dreams of becoming a _hero._ She means well. Even though she might be a little airheaded and scatterbrained, you're well aware that Mika is a kind child, and she _means well._

… But Misaki-san is Misaki-san, Mika is Mika, and you are _you._ And at the end of the day when all is said and done, that's all there is to it.

That's all there is to it.

It's not your responsibility, and this sort of situation is a bit above your pay grade here. So why bother?

Unlike some certain individuals you can name off the top of your head, you just can't find it in yourself to care. You don't really _care_ if the source of the disturbance here is a patient who has a bad reaction to their medications or if it's some villain who's broken in to stir up chaos on the overnight shift. You're only here to clock in some hours for the menial tasks you've been assigned to work at for the hospital. Nothing more, nothing less. This might be your workplace, but that's all it is and all it will ever be to you. It doesn't concern _you,_ not really. Not on a personal level, and so there is no reason for you to act, no matter what others might do in your position.

You'll find Misaki-san, or some other higher-ranked individual to sort out this mess. No one would blame you if you did that. After all, in their eyes, you are only a young girl, and it's only _normal_ that a young, inexperienced girl would panic and search for help when faced with a dangerous, unexpected situation like this. Particularly a girl with a Quirk that is much more suited to sitting by hospital bedsides than dabbling in heroics.

(… It's what they all think, and it's what you'll work hard to continue ensuring they think. To be honest, it's a lot easier than you initially thought it would be, but it's probably because you're –mostly– a new face in Musutafu, and the few who _do_ know about you back in Tokyo are smart enough to keep quiet. The ones who aren't quite smart enough, well… they won't be talking ever again, so that's a bit of a moot point, isn't it?

Ah, how did the saying go again? _The only good secret-keeper is a dead one._

You agree with that, for the most part.)

As you walk away from the corridors, distant screams and terrified shouts slowly growing in crescendo behind you, it becomes apparent to you that at this sort of volume, you won't even have to look for someone in charge in order to raise the alarms anymore. Anyone with half a brain in the building would be able to figure out for themselves that there's something wrong by this point.

All you have to do is keep your head low and stay out of the way while the others take care of it. Be quiet, unobtrusive. Just like you've done every day since arriving in Musutafu to live with your little sister.

… Ahh, when is your shift going to be over already?

 _It's going to be a long wait tonight._

The sounds of violence behind you seem to be growing steadily closer, and you break out into a run.

"Yuuko-chan! Yuuko-chan, what…?"

You snag a confused Misaki by the wrist without breaking stride, causing her to stumble and start running right beside you. "Start running, Misaki-san. I'm not going to be responsible for anything that happens if you don't."

For a moment, you think that the older nurse is going to start arguing with you, judging by the way her strides slow and her eyes narrow, but before she can say anything she is interrupted by the sound of an _explosion,_ as if the very walls of the hospital itself are being torn apart.

The woman pales.

 _"Start running, Misaki-san."_

This is going to be a long, long night.

.

* * *

.

"Nee-chan! _Nee-chan!_ I heard your workplace was attacked last night!"

Her concern is sweet, but entirely unnecessary. As if something as minor as _that_ would've hurt you? You've been through far worse before you were even ten years old, and yet you're still alive to tell the tale.

… But all the same, something warm automatically flickers and curls in your chest upon seeing your little sister's wide, worried eyes, and the words leap easily to your mouth. "I'm alright, Mika. No one was hurt; the only real damage done was to the pipes –the patient was accidentally overdosed on his medication by one of the nurses, which caused his Quirk to go out of control. Something about Liquidification, and he managed to get into the plumbing system. They're fixing that right now, though. Some of the patients had to be transferred to other hospitals, but no one was seriously injured."

Mika bites her lip. "Okay. I… You're definitely okay though, right? You… you're not lying to make me worry less about you or something?"

You let out a small huff of laughter upon hearing this from the endearing little girl. "You're a hundred years too early to be worrying about me, dearest sister of mine. I'm fine. The only thing that's not coming out of this incident intact is going to be the hospital director's wallet."

At that, your little sister finally cracks a grin.

"Alright! If you say so, nee-chan." The cushion next to you dips, and Mika crawls onto the couch beside you. "Ne, ne, which hero came to save you guys at the hospital last night? Were they cool? Ooh, I bet it was All Might! He'd go punch and be like 'whoosh' and then–"

Fuck. Best to head this off before your sister really got started on her rambling. Of all the habits she could've picked up from the green fluff ball…

"All Might's a little too busy to be arriving on the scene of every little incident in the city," you hurriedly cut off your little sister's words with no regrets. "It was someone else who came by this time. I don't really remember who it was, though, sorry. Someone with a… wind-manipulation Quirk, I think?"

Mika gives you the stink eye. It seems to be happening with a concerning frequency lately. "… Nee-chan, would it kill you to pay a little more attention to heroes for once in your life? They _saved_ you! You could at least be a little more grateful!"

Right, right. Like you needed to be _saved._

"… My bad, Mika," is all you say to that in response, in lieu of arguing with your sister. It's not worth it, from your perspective. It's not worth the effort of arguing through this with her. And sooner or later, after she lost her idealistic view of heroes one day… she, too, would see the truth. This is reality. There are no heroes. "So… tell me how your day went? Did anything interesting happen in class today?"

"Nah." Mika kicks at one of the couch pillows. "Nothing special. Baka-gou being an _idiot_ like he always is, trying to pick on Izu-kun with his cronies!"

Ah. That blond kid with the explosive Quirk, was it? The one your little sister keeps picking fights with on behalf of her best friend. It's only because Mika has the Bone Manipulation Quirk that lets you stay at ease about this whole situation; the kid's going to need a lot more power behind his explosions if he wants to do more than leave a few minor scratches and burns on your little sister.

You're not too concerned that Mika will get hurt. You're a little more concerned for Izuku, but you're actually more concerned about the fact that he keeps trying to actively seek out the blond kid even though nothing good ever happens out of it than anything else, really. It's… perplexing.

You'll never understand the way children think. Were you like this too, when you were younger? Somehow, you have a lot of trouble imagining it.

… Or maybe it's just a Mika thing, possibly.

"Oh! Also, also!" Your little sister suddenly perks up in excitement, as if she'd just remembered something. By the looks of it, that was precisely the case here. "Izu-kun's mom invited us over for dinner tonight. We're going over to Izu-kun's for dinner! His mom makes the _best_ curry. Nee-chan, let's _goooo!"_

"… 'Us.' As in, the both of us?"

"Uh-huh," Mika nods. "Haru-baa-chan isn't feeling well lately so she can't take me over tonight, but you're back early from work today! C'mon, nee-chan, pretty please? You've never been over to Izu-kun's place before! His mom is really nice, I promise!"

Haru-baa-san… hm. You'll have to check on the old lady again later, if that's the case. But for now, all the exclamation marks in Mika's words were starting to make your head hurt.

"I'll… I'll take you over." You agree, if only because you know Mika would be insufferable tonight if she can't visit her friend and eat her favorite curry, and because you have no cooking skills whatsoever to speak of. Instant ramen and frozen foods are about the extent of your gourmet cooking prowess, unfortunately. "What time?"

"Umm… in an hour or so, I think?"

Good enough. "Have you already finished your schoolwork and everything else?"

"Yes!" Your little sister pouts at you. "Geez, you're such a _nag,_ nee-chan! Such a worrywart!"

You twitch. She says that as if there's nothing about her that _needs_ worrying about, which is a bald-faced lie if you've ever heard one.

"Then, in the time we have left before we need to leave… show me how you're doing with your Quirk."

The girl freezes at the sudden change of topic in conversation that, for all intents and purposes, comes out of nowhere.

"… Nee-chan?"

You smile, and for once there is something in your expression that makes your little sister shrink back in shame, or embarrassment. _Good._

"Well? You asked me several months back to tell you how to train you to use your Quirk. I've been a bit busy, but I assume you haven't started slacking off on it… have you?"

Of course, you know the truth. Your sister had been determinedly practicing for all of two weeks before she became like every other kid her age –she would _use_ her Quirk, of course; something as cool as 'Dead Bone Pulse' wasn't an ability that Mika was very likely to be shy of. But _practicing_ using it, putting in all those hours of repetitive, boring control exercises every single day? For something that was time-consuming and had no visible results, when there was school and friends and so many other interesting things out there that awaited her attention?

For a child as hyperactive and exuberant as Mika, it was already a miracle in itself that she had managed a solid two weeks on her own. You had hoped that she would remember, that she would continue seeking you out, but…

It's a bit disappointing, to be sure, but you're also resigned, in a way. Or perhaps, even a little relieved. Maybe she's still a little too young. Perhaps it would be better for her to wait a few years? It wasn't like she would run into any situation that would require her to _use_ her Quirk as your mother once did here in Musutafu; surely, there is no need to rush things.

After all, Mika is just a little kid, a little girl who enjoys playing with other children her age. So maybe it's a good thing that she doesn't cling too tightly to thoughts of _train_ and _become strong_ because that's not the sort of life you want for your little sister; that's not the sort of life you want her to lead, in the distant future.

But… a little warning here and there would be good for her. It's all for the best, in the end. Only the best for your dearest, dearest little sister.

You gently poke the pale-faced girl in the middle of her forehead with a small sigh. "Don't make that face at me, Mika-chan. Just… keep this in mind, alright? I'm not going to _force_ you to train your Quirk, and I know you're already using it pretty regularly, so you're getting plenty of practice. But you're going to want to improve your fine control, too, and not just focus on brute force. Trust me, it's what our mother would tell you, too, if she were here."

Mika stares back at you, wide-eyed. Had she been expecting to be scolded, maybe? Your eyes soften, because you can't imagine any situation where you would _scold_ your little sister, especially not for something as trivial as this. She's your _sister._ She's your precious little sister. The little sister you love and would go to any lengths for, if only it meant that she would be happy.

(Peace and quiet. Yes, all you've ever wanted was to achieve the peace and quiet that your parents had fought so hard and sacrificed so much for… including their lives. It hurts, even years later, that they're not around anymore, but you have to watch out for your little sister now. You have a little sister depending on you, and you'll preserve that precious peace for her as best as someone like you possibly can. You would do _anything_ for the sake of preserving it for your little sister.

It's a promise, after all. You _promised._ )

…

… And then, of course the stupid little girl has to go and ruin this reflective, poignant moment by opening her mouth. "Ano… Nee-chan, you're not going to suddenly kill Haru-baa-chan one day and make me become an angst-ridden kid hell-bent on vengeance in some sort of twisted plot to make sure I become strong and simultaneously ensure your own death, right?"

" _What?"_

"… Right. Err, just checking. Carry on, nee-chan."

.

* * *

.

…

.

* * *

Author's Notes:

NaNo '17 update #3. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! The planned dinner scene with Izuku and Inko will be seen in the next chapter, and we might also see a little (surprise, surprise) surprise appearance by Katsuki.

Who caught the reference at the very end there? xD Kudos to anyone who did, haha. Cyber cookies for everyone who caught it! (Tosses cyber cookies.)

And so we continue to move on with the plot! … Kind of. Update speed might start slowing down, unfortunately, but even though I really want to churn out something for NaNo this year, schoolwork is still a little more important than that. It's good stress relief, though, I'll give you that. I'll do my best to keep on writing!

Hopefully, this chapter grants a little more insight into MC's personality. Also hints a little bit at her past in Tokyo, which will eventually come up again in later chapters. She's not the most happy or helpful of individuals, generally speaking, unless it concerns her little sister, which is probably fairly evident by this point.

As always, if you see any grammar mistakes or the like in the text, please let me know so I can go back and fix it! And also if you have any questions or concerns about the story in general, feel free to contact me via review/PM, and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

* * *

 **QUESTION:** In your opinion, do you think Mika would make a good hero? Why or why not? What 'ripples' do you look forward to her making?

* * *

Thank you to everyone who's left encouragement so far! I realize that there's not very many people in this fandom and 2nd POV is weird to read from, but thank you so much for letting me know that there's people out there enjoying this work. Thank you very much for your support!

Till next time,

XxZuiliu


	4. watch that singing cloudburst sky

.

Title: We Don't Live In Fairytales

Summary: Your life would be so much easier if your little sister wasn't such a trouble magnet, and if she wasn't constantly afflicted by weird chuunibyou delusions of being a "main character," damn it. [2nd POV, OC, AU, NaNo '17]

Rating: T

Warnings: Violence, gore.

Disclaimer: I do not own BNHA

(AN at bottom.)

.

* * *

 **We Don't Live In Fairytales**

" _04\. watch that singing cloudburst sky"_

* * *

.

Midoriya Izuku lives in a fairly normal, average area of town. It's a rather quiet neighborhood, in comparison to some other parts of the city. Unfortunately, it's not exactly located in the best school district.

… Sometimes, you're still miffed by the fact that your little sister deliberately _transferred_ to her dear Izu-kun's school simply for the sake of being with her friend, but… it's just as well that you've never put too much stock into the schooling system in the first place. Otherwise, you probably would've been a lot more irritated by your sister's rash decision. As it is, though, you don't exactly mind indulging your little sister's more harmless fancies.

(At least she hasn't been spontaneously jumping out of any windows lately. Thank god for small mercies.)

You might work in a hospital now, but you came by it through 'referral' from an 'acquaintance,' and from some carefully-doctored documents. Despite your lack of formal education, you keep your job because you know what you're doing and you're good at what you do. Nobody bothers to look too much at the young little newcomer, as long as they keep their head down get their work done on time.

It's not a good habit to have, but you're not complaining about it here, since it works in your favor.

Midoriya Inko seems to be the type of woman who'd put more emphasis on the importance of the schooling system. Probably. More than you, at the very least (… which doesn't say very much, now that you stop and think about it). She certainly _looks_ and _acts_ the part of the concerned parent, what with the way she relentlessly fusses over her son and all.

You silently watch her actions from your spot at the entryway to the Midoriya home, noncommittally and with a detached eye.

… To put things bluntly: You don't really have much of an opinion on her, other than _normal._ (And oh, what a glorious word 'normal' is.) The woman is older than you by a good several years, and other than the awkward part in the beginning when she'd mistaken you for a young single mother, you get along well enough, in the few instances that you've encountered each other to date. Mostly, it just means that Inko fills the room with friendly, aimless chatter while you listen quietly from the side, occasionally offering a word or two so as not to seem too impolite.

You are not good at inane chatter, so it's lucky that Inko has no problem filling in for your half of the conversation, in the occasional times that the two of you are standing together in the same room. It helps that the two of you have a shared, common topic when it comes to the children you care for.

"Izu-kun!"

"Mika-chan!"

The two kids barrel towards each other the instant they catch sight of each other and immediately launch into excited chatter. You offer the older woman a small, apologetic wave from the doorway as you give your greetings.

"Sorry for the intrusion, Midoriya-san."

"Oh, it's no trouble at all! Please come in; no need to be a stranger, Yuuko-chan." A warm, cheerful smile automatically blossoms over the woman's face as she returns your greetings. There's no question about it, that her approval of you comes solely from the friendship between her son and your little Mika, which… well. _Well._ Alright, you admit that had your roles been reversed and you yourself were standing in her current position, you would probably approve of Izuku's friendship with Mika, too.

(But you're _not._ And that makes all the difference.)

You retrace your sister's footsteps and step inside the Midoriya household.

"Ah. Thank you for inviting us over, Midoriya-san."

… In all the time you've known the woman and her kid, you've never actually seen hide nor hair of Izuku's father. Inko had named her husband as one _Midoriya Hisashi,_ a dashing man who worked overseas at a foreign company in America, and that was all that had been said on the matter. Certainly, it didn't _feel_ like there was an absence in the Midoriya household –there was a certain sort of warmth and ambience to the air all that made the place feel _welcoming,_ and you think you can understand why Mika enjoys coming over to Izuku's house so much.

(There is nothing like that in the apartment where you currently live, in Haru-baa-san's home.)

And for just about the same reason, it's also why you find yourself feeling a bit uncomfortable here in the Midoriya household. Aside from your busy schedule and unsociable personality, it's probably just as well that it's Haru-baa-san who is usually the one who brings Mika over and has tea with Inko while the children play, not you.

… Honestly? You don't think you could ever get used to such a _warm_ place like this. But Mika seems happy enough, and you can take comfort in that.

"The curry will be ready in a few minutes! There's an extra dash of soy sauce tonight just for you, Mika-chan."

Your little sister's eyes light up, shining like stars. "Wow, really? Thanks, Midoriya-baa-san!"

… You suppose that another reason why you're feeling rather discomfited here is simply because of Midoriya Inko herself. To be so bright and welcoming… no, you can't see yourself naturally behaving that way. Inko, on the other hand, just seems so… so cheerful and so _nice_ all the time, and you really, really can't _understand_ how anyone can be this way. It boggles the mind. How does she do it? How is it possible?

You're aware that the woman is not without her own flaws, but the perpetual _cheer_ that she keeps up around her… hell, if you didn't know any better, you'd almost label it a Quirk, if she didn't have one already.

Unlike her son, Midoriya Inko is not Quirkless. It's nothing grand, just a minor quirk that allows her to attract small objects to herself, and you've never really seen her use it aside from that one time when she nearly dropped the something on the ground, when you'd been walking Mika to the park for a playdate. You've quickly come to realize that it's probably because of a mix of two reasons: Inko has no need to use her Quirk in her daily life, and because Inko does not want to run the risk of upsetting her Quirkless son by flaunting her own Quirk around him.

Poor woman. You almost feel sorry for her.

Not.

(… You don't feel much about anything, nowadays. It's easier to keep things that way.)

"Yuuko-chan, would you mind helping me set out the plates?"

"Of course not. It's no trouble, Midoriya-san," you respond with perfect manners, polite to a fault with your every word. "Thank you very much for having us over tonight. And… thank you for taking care of Mika all the time. I know she can be a difficult child."

" _I can hear you, nee-chan!"_

Yes, well, that's sort of the entire _point_ of why you're saying this right within earshot of your nosy little sister, isn't it?

Inko just laughs.

"Oh no, Mika-chan is a very well-behaved child." The fondness in her voice for Mika is not a lie. Something in your chest relaxes a little, upon realizing that. "She's a sweet girl. I should be the one thanking you, Yuuko-chan, for letting Mika be friends with my little boy."

At this, you shrug, lowering your gaze and hiding your eyes to keep up the guise of well-mannered civility. "… I don't 'let' my sister do anything, Midoriya-san. She just _does."_

It's the truth. It's also the source of nearly all of your headaches these days, much to your chagrin.

Inko smiles nonetheless, shaking her head. "Well… in that case, thank you for bringing Mika over tonight. Would you like some curry?"

"… Yes, please."

Small talk at the dinner table is mostly filled by the chatter of the two children today. Inko looks upon them with a warm, happy light shining in her eyes, and you are quite abruptly struck by the sudden realization that Midoriya Inko would be a very nice person to be friends with, perhaps… if you still believed in the concept of friend, being the sort of cold-blooded creature you are.

(Had you had someone like Inko in your life as a guiding influence in your younger years, you might've turned out to be a very different person from what you currently are today. But then again, you probably wouldn't be alive right now, either.

You have no regrets for what you've become, for what you _are,_ nowadays. No regrets, no shame. Just keep trudging forward, no dwelling on the past. It's the reason why you're still alive, when so many others around you are already gone or dead or even worse off than that, your late parents included.

You try not to think too much about it, most times. Most times.)

"Nee-chan, I think you might set that curry on fire if you stare at it any longer."

"… Eat your curry, imouto."

Mika's cheeks are stuffed like a chipmunk's from Inko's cooking, and it's all… very, very adorable.

…

Fuck. _You're way too soft on your little sister, goddamnit._ This… this probably won't turn out to be a good thing in the future, not if the life she leads turns out to be anything even _remotely_ like yours had been back in Tokyo, before you'd left. But then again, that would be why it's a good thing that that Mika has someone like you to watch out for her. And… really, isn't this what you wanted for her in the first place? Wasn't the entire point of doing everything you did all for the sake of ensuring that Mika would be able to relax and smile and find her happiness as a normal child would?

… Dr. Shirogane would laugh his _ass_ off at you if he could see you now. Thankfully, your father's old colleague is back in Tokyo busy conducting his research, last you'd heard of him. There is no doubt that he is brilliant, but… he's also a _menace._ Misaki? Please. Misaki has _nothing_ on Shirogane-sensei.

You shake your head, and return your attentions to the dinner table just as the kids finish dinner and head off for their games. Something about finding cool rocks outside, before it got too dark? … Something like that, you weren't really paying attention to their chatter. The curry is good, not that taste really means anything to you, and for an awkward moment you find yourself just standing around with nothing to do since Inko is _very insistent_ that any guests to her house stay out of the washing dishes.

But then, you hear an explosion outside.

An _explosion._

… To be fair, it's not a particularly large or violent explosion. Certainly nothing that would classify as a genuine threat on your radar. But nonetheless it's still enough to raise your hackles, and you're out the door in a flash, eyes rapidly scanning the streets for the source of the danger and–

And just as quickly as you'd reacted to the sound in the first place, the tension abruptly drains itself from your body and you slide back into your usual boneless slouch again.

There's nothing to be worrying over. It's just the kid your sister always complains about. Baka… Baku… something? You don't really remember. You don't really care to remember, either.

Proud, angry posture, loud laughter, self-confidence etched in every line of his body. You take one look at the blond kid and promptly dismiss him, because it's quite clear to you that he is no real threat, nor will he never amount to anything, a kid like that.

You know his sort; you've seen several children like that before, back in your earlier days of creeping along the gutters of Tokyo. To the best of your knowledge, only one of them is still alive today, and that's only because Shirogane-sensei had seen something in his Quirk at the time and promptly picked him off the streets before the little ruffian could get himself picked off by anything else of a considerably less benevolent nature.

No, someone like that would never surmount to more than a loudly barking dog in your eyes, and so someone like that would never amount to be a threat to your little sister, either. An annoyance, maybe, considering that they attended the same school. But never a threat.

Mika might be as different from you as the noontime day is from witching-hour night, but the same blood still runs in your veins. You take a twisted sort of quiet pride in knowing that no matter which path she decides to take in the future, she will never be _weak._ Even as removed as the two of you are from the main line, neither of you will be weak. Your upbringing might've guaranteed your own lack of weakness in the past, but your blood is what had _ensured_ it, in a world as warped as the one you live in.

… Or something like that, at least.

"Keep the ruckus down, brats. Don't want to startle Midoriya-san inside now, do we?"

It's almost funny, the way the children's heads _snap around_ at the sound of your voice. You'd find it more amusing if the blond kid wasn't glaring at you like he wanted to eviscerate you, though. There's being energetic, and then there's being _violent._ You don't particularly care about the kid or want to have anything to do with him, but if he tries to attack _you_ like he does Mika or Izuku…

You're not a very nice person, when it comes to anyone aside from your dear little sister. And unlike Shirogane-sensei, you're a little more cautious and a lot less whimsical about handing out second chances, because you've learned at your mother's knee that permanent solutions to your problems are generally the best kind of solutions.

… Not that you'd be able to pull of something like that in Musutafu without repercussions, though. Attention is something you'd like to _avoid_ here, thank you very much.

So. "Try to play nice, hm?"

You spare one last dismissive glance at the blond kid, ascertaining that he's not about to fly off his handle into a sudden fit of homicidal rage, before turning to head back indoors now that you know it was all just a false alarm.

" _Oi, don't think you can just strut around here and tell us what to do!"_

You roll your eyes. _Kids._ You're allergic to kids. Mika being the exception, of course.

"Don't shout at my nee-chan!" Ah, sweet little Mika-chan, so quick to rise in your defense. It's quite cute, seeing her bristle up like an offended little kitten. A small flash of white, and Mika is holding a long length of bone in her hands, brandished like a club. "Apologize, Baka-gou!"

"W-wait, Mika-chan–"

"No, I'm not gonna let him get away with this, Izu-kun!"

"Tch, you think you can do anything to _me?"_

"Ooh, _that does it, you little–"_

You shut the door behind you with a quiet click as a new round of explosions go off outside, accompanied by angry shouts and startled (frightened) shrieks. Inko pokes her head out of the kitchen when she hears you coming back inside.

"Yuuko-chan! Are the children playing outside alright? Nothing too dangerous, is it?"

"… Yeah. They're playing around just fine, Midoriya-san."

.

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…

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Author's Notes:

Sorry guys, completely failed the whole NaNo part of this; RL is just way too hectic. I knew this was a Bad Idea back when I started it, but hey, when the plot bunnies roll around… and just keep on rolling around…

On the other hand, I'm trying to keep this fic short. The goal is to have ten-ish something chapters total, so we'll see how that goes? Fingers crossed, guys. I'm terrible with estimating my update schedule, and even worse when it comes to predicting the length of my stories. Yes, I'm that kind of irresponsible author. It's not like I get paid for this or anything.

So, apologies for the wait. To anyone who might still be reading this, I guess. I do happen to have a fairly impressive record of leaving half-finished fics lying around for long periods of time. Hopefully I'll finish this one day.

Largely introspective here again, should be heading into some action soon, now that we've laid a lot of groundwork. So. Look forward to the next update, please!

MC Yuuko is rather dismissive of Bakugou A) Because she doesn't have a very high opinion of him B) Because he's just a kid and C) Because she just doesn't really _care_ about him in general. Hopefully that came across quite clearly in the text here. Mika obviously has a rather different outlook on this in comparison to her sister.

As always, if you see any mistakes or the like in the text, please let me know and I will go back to fix them.

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 **QUESTION:** Any suggestions for the plot, or things you'd like to see in the future? Last chance to make suggestions here, guys.

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Till next time,

XxZuiliu


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